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Today, May 7, a same-sex couple in Alabama filed a new federal lawsuit, Searcy v. Bentley, seeking legal respect for their marriage license.

The plaintiffs in the case, filed by private attorneys, are Cari Searcy and Kimberly McKeand from Mobile, Alabama. The women have been together for more than 14 years. They got married in California in 2008.

Together, they are raising a young son, Khaya, who was born in 2005. Since Alabama does not respect the couple as married, Searcy, the non-biological bother, is not allowed to legally adopt her own son.

She said today: "I am a parent in every way to our son, but legally I am still considered a stranger. We just want our son to have the same protections and securities as other Alabama families."

The lawsuit joins 71 other lawsuits in a total of 31 states/territories where same-sex couples are making the case for why marriage matters to all families. It also joins one other lawsuit, filed by the Southern Poverty Law Center, that seeks respect for a same-sex couple legally married out of state. Read all about marriage litigation HERE. Thanks to Kathleen Perrin at Equality Case Files for the filing.